Autumn Gardening Holiday        

October 13th - 18th  2013


Sizergh Castle
The gardens of this National Trust property extend to about 18 acres.  Features include a formal terrace overlooking a splendid pool and the Dutch Garden with its formal avenue of Prunus ‘Shirotae’.  In addition there are four National collections of ferns and a large herbaceous border.  The orchard is planted with varieties of tree fruits suitable for the northern counties and the kitchen garden has been revamped and extended in recent years.  Sizergh is famous for its superb limestone rock garden built in the 1920’s by Hayes of Ambleside.  It contains several large specimen Japanese maples which it’s hoped will be displaying their colourful autumn foliage when we visit.

 
Orchard Cottage
Shirley and Chris Band’s garden in Levens village is a plants-persons paradise.  This three quarter acre sloping site in an old orchard is an Aladdins cave providing year round interest with over 100 ferns, more than 70 hellebores, grasses and cottage plants.  There are secret vistas, hidden places and excellent use is made of the vertical elements with many climbing plants scrambling through the trees.

Lakeside Hotel and Rocky Bank
The garden at Lakeside has been created for year round interest with choice and unusual plants.  There are herbaceous borders, scented and winter interest plants, a roof garden, local heritage apple varieties and culinary herbs.
Nearby Rocky Bank with its rock outcrops contains unusual specimen alpines, shrubs, ornamental trees and a woodland area.

Holehird
The 17 acre hillside gardens of the Lakeland Horticultural Society have a reputation which is second to none.  They are superb at any time of year, but probably at their best in spring or autumn with first class plant labelling and maintenance.  For most gardeners the Victorian walled garden, used entirely for decorative effect, is the biggest draw but the large natural rock garden and the gunnera pond with cascades are two more beguiling features of the garden.  No wonder garden lovers are always coming back to this inspirational garden.

Nunwick Hall
Nunwick Hall is a Victorian country house in Great Salkeld near Penrith.  The 6 acre garden is a mixture of traditional and modern and is being adapted and managed as a family garden by Jo Thompson.  The most formal section, the grand terrace, is adjacent to the red sandstone house.  Beyond which there is a double herbaceous border before you enter the more informal areas of the ornamental garden which includes a Victorian rock garden.  Nunwick has a splendid 2 acre working walled garden devoted to vegetable growing, soft fruit, cut flowers and the production of their own bedding plants.

Blakebeck, Mungrisdale
The Hockley’s garden was designed by Vera Turnbull who is the holder of an RHS Chelsea Flower Show Gold Medal awarded in the Courtyard Section for ‘Lakeland Reflected’.  During our visit Vera will explain how she and her husband converted a field and the site of an 80ft cattle shed into this beautiful Lakeland garden.  She will also discuss with us how the garden has evolved since it was created with the centre-piece wildlife pond with a cobble beach.  Planted with all the year round structure the garden contains a lovely range of ornamental plants and raised vegetable beds.

 

Talk - ‘Woodland Gardening’
Dr David Kinsman is a geologist and oceanographer with a wealth of gardening knowledge.  Over the past 30 plus years he has learned about the practicalities of woodland gardening at Windy Hall, a 4 acre fellside garden with views over Windermere.  For 7 years in the 1990’s David was Gardens Advisor to Lord Cavendish at Holker Hall.


Gardeners Question Time
A chance to seek answers to any gardening problems with David Haigh, and guest Shelagh Todd.  Shelagh is Horticultural Section Leader at Newton Rigg College and is very highly regarded both for her horticultural knowledge and for her ability to impart this knowledge.  Over the years she has inspired dozens of students to achieve their maximum potential.

 

 

PRICES

The 5-night holiday runs from Sunday evening through to Friday morning and all prices are per person and include full English breakfast, morning coffee, 3 course dinner and VAT @ 20% for the 5 night stay.

 

Non-participating partners are welcome, and the cost for them is £30 less than above.

We ask for a deposit of £150 per person for the 5-night holiday, which can be made by cheque or credit card. This is non-refundable unless the room is subsequently relet, and cancellation insurance is available.

TUTOR
David Haigh has been in horticulture all his working life, 30 years of which were spent in horticultural education.  His last post was as Head of horticulture at Newton Rigg College, near Penrith.  He is a holder of the Royal Horticultural Societies ‘Master of Horticulture’ qualification.  Now semi-retired, he divides his time between freelance garden writing, running practical training courses and hosting garden holidays.  To keep his hands dirty he tends two allotments where he grows a wide range of crops.  His other great passion is cooking and this usually involves using the produce from his crops.